Microsoft’s new music initiative begins in earnest starting Tuesday, October 16th alongside the new Xbox 360 Dashboard update. The Xbox Music service — named as such to emphasize the Xbox’s branding as an entertainment brand that goes beyond just gaming — will launch tomorrow with Xbox 360 and come pre-installed on all Windows 8 (starting October 26th) and Windows Phone 8 devices.

Xbox Music General Manager Jerry Johnson described Xbox Music as the best of all music services: à la carte options akin to iTunes, streaming options à la Spotify, and a Smart DJ radio option similar to Pandora. As such, Xbox Music offers three ways to use the service: free, ad-supported streaming (for Windows 8 only), a $ 9.99 monthly subscription…